Grand-Forks, ND

As part of the Defending Childhood Initiative, more than 40 organizations across Grand Forks County, North Dakota—public and private, urban and rural, secular and faith based—created the Safer Tomorrows Project to make children’s lives safer. The project raised awareness of violence among all citizens, develop social norms promoting healthy relationships, and offer services that encourage healing. Safer Tomorrows Project educated every child in K-12 schools in the county—in addition to children in Head Start, preschools and childcare programs—about violence prevention by promoting positive and healthy relationships.

The Safer Tomorrows Project also utilized school-based sports initiatives to promote respect and nonviolence in the community, including Coaching Boys into Men. The program equips athletic coaches with strategies, scenarios, and resources needed to build attitudes and behaviors that prevent relationship abuse, harassment and sexual assault, teaching boys the importance of respecting women and that violence never equals strength.

Visit the Safer Tomorrows website.

Read the Process Evaluation Report for the Grand Forks Defending Childhood Initiative.